The Coach & Horses, Greenwich, SE10

The Coach and Horses is an L shaped pub at the edge of Greenwich Market that has a good sized covered outside seating area within the market confines. A standard and premium draught range is available and during my visit on Wednesday afternoon last week Sharp’s Doom Bar and Wychwood’s Hobgoblin were both available from hand pump. There are three more hand pumps that were reverse clipped with Adnams Bitter, Marston’s EPA and Green King’s Ale Fresco. Food is available all day and the pub mains are priced around the £9 mark. The décor is pretty basic and there is a piano in the corner, although I didn’t spot any live music advertisements. The plasma screen was off with no signs for live sport, but there was some background music playing. The service was polite and I would pop back in if passing.

Interesting-looking pub which just invites you to enter if browsing the nearby market stalls. 'L'-shaped bar with mixed furniture and decor, including a small lounge area beside the fireplace at one end. Music at a sensible volume. Four of the five handpumps were on when I called in, offering EPA, Doom Bar, Broadside and a decent pint of Adnams Oyster Stout (£3.75).

Tucked away within the confines of the historic Greenwich Market, what is now the Coach & Horses started life as the market stables. The L shaped interior is quite basic with plain walls and ceilings, bare worn floorboards, a few battered tables, pew and banquette seating and a contrasting cosy sofa area at one end in front of an open brick fireplace. There is a rotating display of artwork sourced from local artists, currently a selection of trees and woodland scenes but in negative perspective which is quite striking. A few old adverts are dotted around and there is a Hennesseys mirror behind the now unframed bar and a selection of papers racked by the door. There is also some designated seating outside within the market place itself. It isn’t a place I have been to as many times as other pubs in the area as I have always thought it was a bit too nondescript and bland for regular usage but something clicked on my lastest visit that made me see it in a different light. For a start it was nice and peaceful with barely half a dozen punters which compared to the bustle of some of Greenwich’s pubs can be a blessing. There were a couple of decent enough choices across the 5 hand pumps (Sharps Own, Doom Bar, Adnams Old Ale, Adnams Bitter + 1 unused) although prices were a bit steep - Sharps Own (which I don’t see often) chalked up a hefty £3.40 but was an excellent pint. The pub does style itself as a gastro pub although food didn’t seem to be the primary selling point, in fact I hardly noticed so much as a ketchup bottle let alone a menu. I can’t put my finger on exactly why I have suddenly warmed to the place, probably a combination of needing a decent pint in a relaxing atmosphere and the strains of Mumford & Sons wafting through which probably helped but I will certainly try and make better use of the place in future.